Infant and maternal mortality

Infant & Maternal Mortality: Life-Saving Message Strategy

Developing a clear, concise, and credible message strategy is essential for any effective communication. In few instances is this more important than in the dissemination of potentially life-saving public health information. When it comes to infant and maternal mortality, there are several message strategies that might be employed to effectively communicate information to the public and to healthcare professionals and thereby prevent many of these deaths from occurring.

Many of the causes of infant and maternal mortality are very preventable. Infant mortality especially is highly preventable, and the disproportionate number of infant deaths occurring in minority populations, especially African-Americans, is indicative of the failed message strategies to disseminate preventative information to these populations (CDC). A more successful message strategy would combine statistics representing this disparity and its preventability with information regarding specific known causes of infant mortality. For example, statistics show that the infant mortality rate is twice as high in African-American populations, and that African-Americans are also far less likely to receive adequate prenatal care (CDC). These facts could be presented alongside information regarding free or low-cost prenatal care, which is available in most states and by federal programs. The message shifts from "here's what's happening" to "here's what's happening, and here's what you can do about it."

Adequate maternal and prenatal care leads to a dramatic reduction of the infant mortality rate (HHS, 2006). Providing an active message strategy specifically targeted at the most at-risk population (i.e. African-Americans) will prove more effective than simply addressing the issue as a human commonality. The focus and simplicity of the message both contribute to its credibility and its effectiveness. In regards to prenatal care, the message strategy should be focused in an informative way; there are options for care that some expectant mothers may simply be unaware of. Other indirect and direct causes of infant mortality, however, are well-known both medically and publicly, and require a different message strategy.

Tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use can lead to birth defects, low birth weight, and premature delivery (HHS, 2006). All of these are listed as the major causes of infant mortality (CDC). Given the literature and public service announcements produced on these subjects over the past several decades, it is difficult to believe that anyone in this country is unaware of the detrimental effects these things can have on a fetus, and apparently thee communications are working to a degree; the infant mortality rate has dropped significantly, and yet such abuse is still among the leading causes of infant death (CDC; HHS, 2006). To tackle these issues, information should not be the focus of the message strategy but rather the mothers themselves should be the message's focus. Perhaps a short bulleted list of the disadvantages children with fetal alcohol syndrome and other effects of in utero abuse are likely to face if they manage to survive would be an effective scare tactic, but more important is instilling a sense of responsibility in the mother. They need to understand that their choices affect other lives, and illustrating an infant's helplessness would be more effective for this purpose. The message strategy here should be more emotive than cognitive.